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Walden: AT&T merger & Oregon jobs

Rep. Greg Walden receives direct assurance that no layoffs will occur at T-Mobile call centers in Oregon should merger be approved No layoffs expected at Redmond call centerCongressman Greg Walden

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Greg Walden received assurances from an AT&T official that no layoffs would occur at T-Mobile call centers in Oregon, should the merger between the two companies survive regulatory review and legal challenges.

“I received a direct and personal assurance that T-Mobile’s Redmond call center won’t experience any layoffs after a merger,” said Rep. Walden, who chairs the House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology. Walden’s panel oversees telecommunications policy, and he has met with AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall Stephenson on numerous occasions.

“It is a great relief to know that if the merger survives regulatory review and legal challenges and is approved, there will be no losses of jobs at the T-Mobile call centers in our district. AT&T’s and T-Mobile’s commitment in this regard is appreciated,” Rep. Walden said.

“These are good jobs for central Oregon families in an important and growing industry for the state,” Rep. Walden said.

About 50,000 Oregonians are currently employed in the telecommunications industry.

The current unemployment rate in Deschutes County is 11.3 percent.

“Additionally, I commend AT&T’s further commitment today to repatriate some 5,000 jobs back to the U.S. as well,” Rep. Walden said.